Cessna 177 accident near Hampton, New Hampshire, April 22, 2001
On April 22, 2001 at about 5:10 pm local time, a Cessna 177, registered N3117T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hampton, New Hampshire (Hampton Airfield). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadvertent encounter with a downdraft, which resulted in a collision with trees. A factor related to the accident were the downdraft wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 22, 2001 · about 5:10 pm local time
- Place
- Hampton, New Hampshire · Hampton Airfield · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177 · all 177s on the register
- Registration
- N3117T · registry record · serial 17700417
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that while landing on runway 20, as the airplane crossed over a tree line, the airplane's airspeed "shot up" momentarily to 105 mph, and then back to 80 mph. After encountering the "heavy turbulence," the pilot elected to perform a go-around; however, as the airplane began to climb, at a "best climb of 65 to 70 mph," the airplane would not ascend, and struck trees located about 50 feet beyond the departure end of the runway. After impacting the trees, the airplane descended, and came to rest on top of a stone wall. According to the Airplane Owners Manual, the obstacle clearance speed, with a 1/4 flap setting, was 67 mph. The winds reported at an airport located about 6 miles to the north of 7B3, at 1255, were from 280 degrees at 18 knots, gusts to 25 knots.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,009 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 981 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 23, 1999
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,556 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 24, 2000; 159 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 81B Oxford ME at 3:42 pm
- Destination: 7B3 NH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 2,100 ft by 170 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 18 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; a few clouds at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 pm from PSM, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.